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William
Theodore Block, Jr.
7/29/1920 - 12/15/2007
William
Theodore Block, Jr., age
87,
known
as “W. T.” or “Bill” to his friends, passed away at
Christus St. Mary Hospital
on Saturday
December 15, 2007.
He was born in Port Neches on July 29, 1920, the son
of Will and Sarah Jane Sweeney
Block, and he moved to Nederland in 1935. He
grew up on his father’s farm, which is currently the land occupied by Oak
Bluff Memorial Cemetery.
He
graduated from Nederland High School, Cheniers Business and Radio College,
and Lamar University with an MA degree in history. He also served 3 years in
the U. S. Naval Reserve, and taught at Lamar for 2 years as a teaching
fellow.
During
World War II, he served from 1942-1946 in the 78th
Infantry Division, earning 3 battle stars for the Battles of the Bulge,
Rhineland, and Central Europe. After the war, he worked 31 years for the
Postal Service, including 20 years as assistant postmaster and postmaster in
Nederland, or as officer-in-charge in Orange. Later he served on the
Lamar University staff for 11 years, retiring in
1981.
Mr.
Block was a dedicated historian, publishing 9 books of East Texas history,
many academic articles in historical journals, and he was a guest columnist
for Beaumont Enterprise for many years. He was a member of First United
Methodist Church in Nederland, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Texas
Gulf Historical Society. He was also a Knight of
the Royal Order of Orange-Nassau, a knighthood conferred on him by Queen
Beatrix of the Netherlands. He had also been a ham radio operator for 32
years, and served several years as an assistant scoutmaster.
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http://www.facebook.com/WTBlock |
Contents
The links at the left will connect you to each of the
major categories on this site. The content is divided into six categories
described as follows:
 | Biography: Some biographical information
including an article about W. T. published in "The Southeast Texas Business News"
in March of 1996, by Bill Deevy. |
| Books:
W. T.'s books
 | Published, and |
| Unpublished |
|
| Articles: a summary of
W. T.'s articles divided into
|
| Documents: several articles are published
here online |
| Family: articles about
W. T's family |
| Photo Credit:
Several of the photographs in the family section are very old and were in
very bad shape. One of our readers, Mr. Francis M. Barnett, Jr.
contacted W. T. and offered to "digitally repair" these photographs. Look at this page to see "before and after" pictures. |
| Guest Book: leave
the site and other visitors messages
here |
| Search: this site and the
web |
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Lengua
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What's New
We are in the process of scanning W.
T.'s first book, A
History of Jefferson, County, Texas, which will be a work in progress
for some time. This book was
W. T.'s master's thesis at Lamar University
and was published in 1976.
There are now 468 articles published on this site. Up to this
point most of the work has been relatively easy, since the majority of what is on the site
to date was written within the last decade and was therefore already in electronic form.
Some of the newest articles represent the beginning of the next
phase, converting work that was done in the prior three decades into electronic
format. Sabine Pass in the Civil War was originally published in the East
Texas Historical Journal in October 1971. This article was scanned in from a
photocopy of that document. Scanning is imprecise at best, and downright error
prone at worst. Our best efforts to find and correct these errors are being employed, but
the process is slow. Naturally, we welcome any feedback with regard to errors
discovered by our readers.
| Date Added |
Name of Article |
| Nov. 11, 2006 |
Veteran's Day Program and
Marker Dedication to Thomas Deye Owings |
| June 6, 2006 |
David Choate, Jr.: A San Jacinto Veteran |
| |
Rev. John August Tubbe:
An Immigrant Farmer, Sawmiller, and Preacher |
| |
Isaac Ryan: Lake Charles is Proud of Its Alamo Hero |
| Feb. 25, 2006 |
An Extinct
Sawmill Town and the Olive-Sternenberg Partnership That Built It |
| Feb. 19, 2006 |
A Brief History of the Early Beaumont
Jewish Community |
| Feb. 15, 2006 |
Auto Biography |
| Nov. 25, 2005 |
Benjamin
Johnson: Veteran of Battle of San Jacinto |
| |
Robert B.
Russell: A Veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto |
| Nov. 13, 2005 |
Col. W. H. Griffin: A Texas Confederate
Commander |
| Aug. 28, 2005 |
James B. Likens:
Pioneer East Texas Lawyer and Military Hero |
| May 22, 2005 |
Capt. Daniel Goos:
An Early Lake Charles Sawmiller |
| |
My Hero, Father
Ivan |
| |
Village Mills
Hangs Tough
After Heyday |
| |
Sawmill Boom
Reached Zenith During 1880s |
| |
Sawmill City Bronson
Also Had Status as Rail Terminus |
| |
Sawmill Town Now
Only Few Old Foundations |
| |
Sawmills Deserved
Dangerous Reputation |
| |
Texas Sawmills Once
Rolled Out Barrel Industry |
| |
Evadale Makes Comeback
From Near Ghost Town |
| |
First Iron
Smelting Attempt In Texas Ended In Ashes |
| |
Fostoria Once Was
Prosperous Sawmill Town |
| |
Fredonia Rooted In
River History |
| |
Fuqua Hummed As Sawmill
Town in Early 1900s |
| |
Hardin County Village
Thrived On Cotton Trade |
| |
Huge Sawmill Once
Operated West of Lufkin |
| |
Jasper Figures In Much
Early Texas History |
| |
Lumber Town of Manning
Once Prospered |
| |
Majestic Trees
Towered Over Area In 1850 |
| |
Many Sawmill
Towns Died Out In East Texas |
| |
Old Ghost Town Once Was
Home To Great Pioneer |
| |
Salem Townsite Once
Produced Lumber Boom |
| |
Steam Power Led
Advances in Sawmilling |
| Feb. 5, 2005 |
Dr. Lewis S.
Owings: A Brief Biography |
| Jan. 16, 2005 |
A History of Nederland Education and the
Nederland Independent School District |
| |
De Families KOELEMAY |
| Nov. 21, 2004 |
EEN STUK GESCHIEDENIS VAN NEW HOLLAND, TEXAS (in
Dutch) |
| Sept. 6, 2004 |
I
Remember My Brother Broomtail |
| Aug. 29, 2004 |
Thomas Deye Owings of Maryland, Kentucky,
and Texas: Frontier Iron-Smelterer and Military Hero |
| July 25, 2004 |
Samuel P. Henry: “Father of Cameron Parish” |
| July 2, 2004 |
Dr. Edward Arrel Pye: A Texas Medical Hero |
| |
I Remember “The Lucky Stiffs” |
| June 27, 2004 |
Albert Gallatin Van Pradelles: Cotton Merchant of Wallisville, Texas |
| May 22, 2004 |
Two Brothers and a Brother-In-Law in East
Texas |
| April 18, 2004 |
Beaumont's Big Business |
| |
Capt. William E. Rogers: Beaumont Steamboatman |
| Feb. 15, 2004 |
Familie uit Hoogkarspel in 1897 aan de wieg van stadje
Nederland in Texas |
| |
A History of the
Gatze Jan (George) Rienstra Family |
| |
A History
of the Gatze Jan (George) Rienstra Family (Dutch
translation) |
| |
A History of
the Bauke Westerterp Family |
| |
A History of the
Bauke Westerterp Family (Dutch translation) |
| Oct 28, 2003 |
Updated:
Napoleon Wiess: Steamboat
Captain and Confederate Soldier |
| Oct. 6, 2003 |
Early River Boats of Southwest Louisiana |
| Sept. 13, 2003 |
Updated:
The baptism of fire of the 309th Infantry Regiment |
| May 29, 2003 |
A Brief History of Wiess Bluff, Texas |
| May 26, 2003 |
Book (in progress): A History of Jefferson
County, Texas (Chapter
XI) |
| |
Book (in progress): A History of Jefferson
County, Texas (Chapter
X) |
| May 24, 2003 |
From Cotton Bales to Black Gold |
| |
Napoleon Bonaparte Wiess |
| May 18, 2003 |
Some Notes on the Adrian Johan
Elings Family |
| Apr. 1, 2003 |
Requiem for a Confederate Gunboat: The CSS
Josiah H. Bell |
| Mar. 10, 2003 |
Was
the “Black Panther” Actually a Jaguar? |
| Mar. 3, 2003 |
Alanson Burson: Father of Nederland, Texas |
| Feb. 12, 2003 |
Skull Island on Mermentau River: A Slave
Ship’s Inhumanity |
| Jan. 25, 2003 |
Book (in progress): A History of Jefferson
County, Texas (Chapter
IX) |
| Jan. 25, 2003 |
Ghost of Nicaragua Smith Still Haunts
Graveyard |
| Jan. 10, 2003 |
Black Panthers: Did Such an Animal Ever Exist? |
| Nov. 29, 2002 |
The Big Thicket
Bear Hunters Club of Kountze |
| March 3, 2002 |
Alexander Gilmer: Industrialist
of Orange, Texas |
| Sept. 22, 2001 |
Book (in progress): A
History of Jefferson County, Texas (Chapter
VIII) |
| April 25, 2001 |
Biography of
William P. Doran--Texas’ First War Correspondent |
| Nov. 7, 2000 |
Diary of 1st Sergeant H. N. Connor |
| Sept. 3, 2000 |
Book (in progress): A
History of Jefferson County, Texas (Chapter VII) |
| July 4, 2000 |
Book (in progress): A
History of Jefferson County, Texas (Chapter
VI) |
| July 1, 2000 |
Book (in progress): A
History of Jefferson County, Texas (TOC,
Chapter V) |
| June 26, 2000 |
Book (in progress): A
History of Jefferson County, Texas (Chapter
IV) |
| June 25, 2000 |
Book (in progress): A
History of Jefferson County, Texas (Introduction, Chapter
I, Chapter
II, and Chapter
III) |
| June 4, 2000 |
Crazy Ben Dollivar's
secret gold cache |
|
Mill manager paid big price by dismissing ‘untouchable’ |
|
Sawmill town Aldridge had sad history |
|
State border relocated east during
survey |
|
Oil industry in East Texas traces roots back to
1860s |
|
Turpentiners worked hard for
product |
|
Rainbow Bridge 1938 opening brought an end to area
ferries |
|
There's a story on lone grave near Texas
347 |
|
Area's history of bootlegging soared during
Prohibition |
|
Area Civil War period marked by hard
times |
|
Why don't we commemorate brave masses of
immigrants |
|
Two area cities in late 1800s fought major fires
together |
|
Shooting death of lumberman still a
mystery |
|
Blockade runs at
Sabine Pass commonplace in Civil War |
|
My dad and I once
got stuck in Suckersville |
|
Temple made mark on
lumber industry |
|
Former slave's death in 1889 attracted rare news
coverage |
|
Lafitte's men captured our imagination for many
years |
| Jan. 22, 2000 |
Christmas week in
Simmerath |
| Nov. 7, 1999 |
Pioneer music in Beaumont contained lots of brass horns |
|
No man is an island
unless hunted skunk launches scent |
|
Sawmill town Bessmay gave its life to fire |
|
Area resident
rallied behind Union cause |
|
Schools in Beaumont trace to pre-Civil War |
|
Yellow fever plagued area during 1860s |
|
Fate intervened in Confederate hero’s search for black gold |
|
U. S., Republic of Texas once nearly clashed because of fees |
|
Big cat stories in East Texas are numerous but lack proof |
|
Change came to
Port Neches via relocation of post office |
|
Olive, Texas is now
a ghost town |
|
Rice Still Dominates Jefferson County Agriculture |
| Sept. 5, 1999 |
A History of the
Frederick George Smith Family of Johnson’s Bayou, La. |
| Sept. 4, 1999 |
Strong Spell swam
river ferrying lead steer of herd |
|
Sweeneys were among
first settlers of Grand Chenier |
|
Lucas gusher fever affected so many folks, far and wide |
| Aug. 15, 1999 |
Mud, cow led to sale of refinery acreage |
| June 3, 1999 |
Strange case about corpse still unsolved |
|
Treasure tale keyed digging in East
Texas Piney Woods |
|
Confederate flag remains symbol of
hate to many today |
| June 1, 1999 |
Area's greatest archeological site was
ruined |
|
Dairy farm’s end stopped wonder bra
for milk cows |
|
Emancipated men gave city so very much
in early years |
|
Whale gave Port Arthur’s economy
boom in early 1900’s |
|
Beaumont had two pioneers who aged
well |
|
Pre-boom Spindletop gave hints of its
riches |
|
Pirate Lafitte, Bowie dealt in slave
trade via SE Texas |
| May 8, 1999 |
Tulip Transplants to East Texas: The
Dutch Migration to Nederland, Texas |
|
Hurricanes decimated Nederland
‘city tree’ |
|
Some Notes on the Civil War Jayhawkers
of Confederate Louisiana |
|
Some Notes on the Pioneer McGaffey
Families of Sabine Pass, Texas |
| Feb. 7, 1999 |
Real cold war occurred here during
1890s |
|
Foxy advice on gambling serves well |
|
Prank led to empty sleeve |
|
Spindle Top once isolated plague victims |
| Jan. 6, 1999 |
Demise of Reptilian ‘Big
Tooth’ drew crowds |
|
Bringing joy to the needy in Depression
was fulfilling |
|
Celebrations of Christmas in Beaumont
change little |
|
Sorry, Sarge, you’ll have to take my
heart |
| Jan. 3, 1999 |
Entertainment in Beaumont has news
roots |
Dec. 1, 1998 |
Versatility Was
Proud Boast of Area Civil War Outfit |
|
Fort Manhassett
Disgorges Huge Treasure of Artifacts |
| Nov. 27, 1998 |
Smith’s Bluff and Grigsby’s Bluff, Texas |
|
"Didja Knows" About Nederland, Texas |
|
Broomtail and I Met the Ku Klux Klan |
|
The Legend of the Olive Ghost Train |
| Nov. 24, 1998 |
New Chapter In History of Sabine Pass Written |
|
Calcasieu Pass Victory, Heroism Equal
Dowling’s |
| Nov. 23, 1998 |
Sabine Pass in the Civil War |
|
Where was Fort Grigsby? |
| Nov. 19, 1998 |
Bootlegging brothers' joy short-lived |
|
Pranks rule 'olden days' celebrations of Halloween |
|
Spooky legend lives on |
| Nov. 7, 1998 |
Lamar University 75th Anniversary |
|
